Skip to main content

Food for Healthy Blood:

Functions of Blood for Martial Arts

Eating good food for Healthy Blood is important!  In martial arts, it’s important to support the body’s ability to produce and move blood. Because it will give you energy, flexibility for the joints, and nutrition to keep the ligaments and tendons strong.

Qi and Blood in Yin Yang Theory

In Chinese medicine, it is said that blood is the mother of Qi. And Qi is the commander of blood.  What that means is that you need enough blood in the body to produce energy (Qi). It’s important to keep the Qi moving so that the blood doesn’t become stagnant. When the blood becomes stagnant, you develop pain and depletion of blood. In Yin Yang theory, blood is considered Yin and Qi is considered Yang. So, we again see the significance of the relationship between these two energies and the harmony that you want to achieve in every day living.

Build and Balance Your Blood with Healthy Food

Beets and beef are great for building blood

There are many ways to achieve a good balance of blood in your body. In terms of nutrition, you want to focus on foods that help to strengthen both the spleen and kidney meridians. The spleen is the organ responsible for taking the essence out of the food and turning it into energy. And the kidney provides the fire of digestion. In Chinese medicine, cold and dampening foods deplete the spleen. Therefore, you want to avoid raw, frozen foods, dairy and sugar, excess salt, and excess fats.  Our western diet of sweet and oily foods create dampness. This can contribute to a number of health issues. Other foods to avoid in large quantities include nuts, alcohol, coffee, colas, chocolate, and foods from the nightshade family (tomato, potato, eggplant, bell pepper). As they also contribute to damp conditions. Eating fresh vegetables that are sautéed with a small amount of oil along with lean, organic meats and fresh whole grains will support the strength of the spleen. Foods that specifically produce blood include beets and their greens, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, adzuki bean, seaweed, beef and chicken.*

Liver Regulates Blood and Qi

The other important organ to support is the liver. The liver is called the “Great Regulator”. Its function in Chinese medicine is to move Qi and blood. When the liver becomes disharmonized, the blood becomes stagnant. It doesn’t flow smoothly through the body. This can contribute to pain in the joints, lack of flexibility, women’s disorders (PMS, infertility, tumors, cysts), fatigue and depletion. Foods that help move the liver Qi include beef and chicken liver, black sesame, green leafy vegetables, celery, green onion, kelp, mulberry, mussel, nori and plum**. Overuse of warming spices and pungent foods (onions, garlic, pepper) can create too much heat in the body, so should be used sparingly.

For more information and recipes, you can read Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine by Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac, and Efrem Korngold, L.Ac, OMD and Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition by Paul Pitchford.

*from Chinese System of Food Cures by Henry C. Lu
**from Prince Wen Hui’s Cook by Bob Flaws

About the Author:

Kathy O'Hare

Kathy O’Hare, M.A., Certified Asian Bodywork Therapist and Jin Shin Jyutsu Self-Help Instructor, has taught Acupressure and Chinese Medicine for 20+ years at the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, CA, Tel: 925-225-0896. She has been a student of Sifu Jensen since 1992 & teaches Muscle Tendon Qi Gong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,000 Victories School 

Our School can be found here!

Learn more about Tai Chi at the 10,000 Victories webpage here! 

Learn more about Xing Yi at the 10,000 Victories webpage here! 

Learn more about Northern Shaolin at the 10,000 Victories webpage here! 

Learn more about Qi Gong at the 10,000 Victories webpage here! 

Learn more about Animal Power Kung Fu Classes at the 10,000 Victories webpage here!

Listen to the Ancient Wisdom, Modern Health Podcast here! 

Watch great videos at our Vimeo and Youtube pages! 

Visit our Facebook page here! 

Sign up for our weekly newsletter with more great articles, photos and videos here! 

Leave a Reply